Coating apparatus



United States Patent Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority Yoshiaki Tamura Japan; and

Toshimitsu Yamaguchi, Minami Ashigara- Machi, Japan Nov. 22, 1967 Nov.- 10, 1970 Fuji Shashin Film Kabushiki Kaisha Kanagowa, Japan Nov. 22, 1966 Japan COATING APPARATUS 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl.....

Int. Cl Field of Search 118/44 B05c ll/00 1 18/44,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,751 8/1908 Norton 118/221X 1,226,655 5/1917 Grosvenorn. l. 117/43X 1,785,762 12/1930 Bundy 118/44 2,225,778 12/1940 Hallman v. 118/44X 2.522.121 9/1950 Keller 117/43 2,621,572 12/1952 Luboshez 134/122X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,439,580 4/1966 France 1. 118/249 Primary Examiner-Walter A. Scheel Assistant ExaminerLeon G. Machlin Attorney- Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion. Zinn and Macpeak ABSTRACT: An apparatus for applying a coating composition to both side edges of a coating support involves bending the support into U-shape and applying the coating composition to the side edges while maintaining the support in bent position.

Patented Nov. 10, 1 970 r 3,538,885

INVENTORS,

YIOSHIA'KI TAMURA TOSHIMITSU YAMAGUCHI AT'TOR NEYS COATING APPARATUS in the photographic film art, it has been proposed to apply to the side edges of the photographic film, a coating composition capable of intercepting light, thereby preventing the film from being exposed by light which normally enters the film through the side edges. it is further proposed to apply the coating composition to the side edges of the film (hereinafter called the support) while moving the film in a flat state with the coating means positioned adjacent the side edges. The proposed manner is accompanied by many disadvantages. For example, complicated control mechanism is required for controlling the contact pressure between the coating means and the side edges to be coated and maintain the desired clearance between the side edges and the coating means as well as for maintaining a constant amount of coating composition. In some cases, the surface of the film is stained or contaminated by the edge coating composition because the coating surface of the coating means and the film are at the same level.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for applying a coating composition to side edges of a support without staining the surface of the support.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for applying a coating composition to the side edges of a support by simple coating means.

Other objects will become clear from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the coating apparatus of the present invention in a preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical, sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2.

Referring to FlGS. l and 2, a continuously moving film or support 1 is bent by contact with a number of U-shaped rolls 2 such that the cross section of the support is cut along a line perpendicular to the direction of movement of the film and is of a U-shape.

The side edges 3 and 4 of the film or support to be coated are aligned by means of a levelling roll 5 positioned beneath the first U-shaped roll 2, and the side edges 3 and 4 are then brought into contact with a coating roller or means 6 under uniform pressure. A definite amount of coating composition 7 is applied to the side edges 3 and 4 from the coating surface portions 8 and 9 of the coating roller 6. In this case, the U- shaped rolls 2 have the function of deforming the support 1 into U-shape and bringing the side edges 3 and 4 to be coated into contact with the surfaces 8 and 9 of the coating means. Therefore, in the present invention, any roll may be used so long as it does not mar the support an is capable of moving the support while keeping it in the bent U-shape state. For example, it may be a freely rotating roll, a pressure belt movable with the support 1 or a suction belt. The levelling roll 5 plays the part of a web controller which can bring the support 1 into a desired state so that the side edges 3 and 4 may be brought into uniform contact with the coating surfaces 8 and 9 and acts as a mechanism for controlling the positions of the side edges of the continuously traveling support 1. It is necessary, however, that the levelling roll 5 does not harm the support. Any coating means capable of applying a definite amount of coating composition to the side edges 3 and 4 may be used in conjunction with the present invention, such as the roller coat system of the drawing, or alternatively a gravure coat system, an extrusion coat system or a pen contact system may be used. Further, it is desirable that the coating means 6 employ coating surfaces 8 and 9 which have substantially the same width as that of the side edges 3 and 4 being coated. in this case, the coating surfaces 8 and 9 may be carried by a single roller such as that shown in FIG. 2 or may be formed on surfaces of separate rollers. The coating composition is applied to the side edges of the continuously moving support 1 by the abovementioned coating means, but the coating means is not limited to those described. The present invention may be readily applied not only to a plastic film, but also to paper or. metal sheets. The curvature of the U-shaped support rolls 2 must be such that the support is not broken and that the side edges thereof are positioned at substantiallyl the same level. The optrmum value of the curvature given t e support is determined by the width, the thickness and the mechanical properties of the support.

Further, a levelling roller 10 may be positioned behind the coating roll 6 for maintaining the support in a stable position although such a levelling roller. is not necessary. Unlike the levelling roller 5, levelling roller 10 does not contact the edges of the support, but rather cooperates with the curved shaping roller 2 and contacts the center of the bent or curved support.

From the above, it is obvious that coating can be performed by a simple coating means in which the surface of the support is substantially free from contamination by the coating composition.

As one example, the present invention has application as a processing step prior to rolling a photographic negative film onto'a spool. The film is prepared by coating a gelatine silver halide photographic emulsion having a polyethylene terephthalate film base of 61.5 mm. in width and p. in thickness. A light-intercepting ink was applied to both side edges of the photographic negative film by using the coating means of FIGS. 1 and 2. After rolling the photographic film onto the spool and exposing the same, the condition of the film was investigated. It was noted that no light had penetrated the coating on the side edges and the coating acted in a most satisfactory manner. it was further noted that the edge coating composition was not in any manner scattered onto the surface of the film.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for side edge coating of a moving support comprising at least one bending roller having a U-shaped peripheral recess, means for forcing said moving support into contact with said bending roller with the center of the support within the center of U-shaped peripheral recess to cause said side edges to be bent into spaced, parallel fashion, and means for coating said support side edges while said support is so curved, said coating means comprising a rotatable coating roller including spaced, radially enlarged coating surfaces with the axial spacing therebetween and the width thereof corresponding to the width and lateral spacing of said side edges when said support is bent into U-shaped configuration to confine coating to the side edges only of said support, said coating surfaces being partially immersed in a static coating fluid and in peripheral contact with said support side edges.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a second, relatively thin follower roller, and means for positioning said second follower roller centrally of said bending roller, within said U-shaped recess, with edge overlap and with said support sandwiched therebetween whereby said second follower roller facilitates bending of said support and maintenance of said moving support in a stable curved configuration.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a first levelling roller positioned opposite said bending roller and acting to sandwich said curved support therebetween, with the peripheral surface of said levelling roller contacting both side edges to align the same in a common plane prior to contact with said coating means. 

